Full Spectrum Lighting - Page 2

03-01-2007, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glider

Camille, is there anything special about the bulbs you use?(sorry, didn't look into those bulbs).

At the Goodwill by my house, they had a bunch of 48" (If I can remember correctly) bulbs by some eagle something brand, they said that they were full spectrum. They were $15 a piece but I can get them for half that on the last saturday of the month, is that a good price? And would they be good?

Shane, you need to check the CRI. It needs to be high, not sure what the cut off is, maybe 96? The ones we all use are 98, which is very good. The higher the better. 100 is not possible, and I don't know if there are 99's either. You also need to check for another number. I can't remember what its called, but it needs to be around 5000. I'll try to search so I can be more specific on that!

Edit: Check out this link, 2nd page, post #17: Lighting Question

03-01-2007, 09:39 PM

Why use full spectrum lighting?

The core of the FeatherBrite line of products revolves around a very special source of light. The FeatherBrite Bulb emits light that is very close to that of natural sunlight. Sunlight and artificial sources of light are measured by color temperature and rendering. If you were to consider the intensity of the sun at noon daylight, it is about 5500 degrees Kelvin (K). Natural light not only provides warmth, but brings out the intensity of colors in a way that artificial fluorescent lighting rarely mimics. The FeatherBrite Full Spectrum 15 Watt Spiral Compact Bulb emits the same color temperature as the sun at high noon.

Natural daylight is also measured at a color rendering index (CRI) of 100, which shows the vibrance and intensity of colors in and around our environment. The FeatherBrite Bulb has a CRI of 91, and will bring out colors in your bird's feathers that you may not have even known existed while using a standard flourescent cage light.

What's the difference between full spectrum and standard fluorescent lamps?

Full spectrum fluorescent light emits light in all parts of the visual spectrum and some in the ultraviolet range (short-wavelength, high-energy light). To be a full spectrum bulb, the color temperature must be 5000K or greater, and the CRI must be at least 90. A standard fluorescent bulb generally only has a CRI of between 60 and 75, which means the intensity of the source of light is much lower, the temperature is cooler, and there is a noticeable difference or dulling of colors when objects are placed under a standard bulb.

http://www.featherbrite.com/why.htm

03-01-2007, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvins Mom

The FeatherBrite Bulb has a CRI of 91

I don't think this is high enough. To be f.s. lighting it must be 90, but just because its f.s. doesn't mean it does any good. I believe the absolute cut off to do any good for our fids is like 93, but most of the literature I've read says don't go below 96 or so. The Philips tubes in the hanging fixtures are 98.

03-01-2007, 09:46 PM

I'll bring that to Mike's attention (the owner of Featherbrite). He apparently did a lot of research. I'll let you know what he says.

03-01-2007, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvins Mom

I'll bring that to Mike's attention (the owner of Featherbrite). He apparently did a lot of research. I'll let you know what he says.

Okay! I'll do some research as well! I'm sure the owner will say they are beneficial no matter what...

03-01-2007, 09:49 PM

More info...

To fully understand what is meant by full spectrum lighting, we must first divide the category into two parts: a) General Illumination, and b) Specialty Illumination. A general illumination lamp that may be properly termed full spectrum has a CRI (color rendition index) of greater than 90, and a Color Temperature of >5000K (1). The FS designation here only alludes to the range of light visible to the human eye, as it closely emulates natural sunlight and color balance. These devices are not intended as a source of UV irradiation, but do produce small amounts of UVA as a byproduct of their operation. Specialty illumination devices, such as the pet series (Vitalite, et al.) and tubes for seasonal affective disorder (Ott, et al.) contain varying amounts of ultraviolet light in the near (UVA) and possibly middle (UVB) ranges in addition to meeting the general illumination criteria. The de facto standard UVA/UVB ratio is 28:11. Depending on the result required from FS solutions, various distances are used to maximize their effects. This becomes of great importance for the consideration of the birdkeeper in choosing a proper lighting solution.

A major study of general lighting practice employed by birdkeepers revealed that on the average, the popular distance from bird to light was 14-18" (2). Often, to achieve this distance the lighting source is placed several inches above, or directly on top of the cage. A 14-16" (or any other arbitrarily set) concept of lighting placement is relevant only to the effective ultraviolet output (irradiance) of a lighting device. Some FS specialty fluorescent devices designed for pet application (reptile, bird, aquarium, etc.) produce small amounts of the middle range of ultraviolet light, known as UVB along with greater amounts of the near range, UVA. There is a specific segment of the UVB range which is the active "vitamin synthesis" component of ultraviolet light. Unfortunately, the output of these devices in this range is very weak compared to the total visible spectrum of light which they produce.

http://users.mikrotec.com/~pthrush/l.../spectrum.html

03-01-2007, 10:19 PM

Here is what I've found so far. By searching for 'full spectrum lighting CRI +parrots' on google, I came up with a bunch of links, none of which are listing the CRI needed to be beneficial! I've come across several bird forums where the concensus is at least 92-93 CRI to be beneficial.

Quote:

Full Spectrum Lighting vs. Sunlight:

Birds need sunlight to help them process vitamins and keep them happy and healthy. But taking companion birds outside isn't always possible or safe. Taking birds outside requires a carrier, cage, harness and SUPERVISION. While natural sunlight & air are preferable, many people don't have skylights or cannot spend time with their birds outside every day. So opting for consistency is a good alternative- through full spectrum lighting and air filtration. Read more about air filtration here.

Providing Full Spectrum Lighting for your birds (and yourself!) doesn't have to be expensive. If you want the kind of fixtures that just plug into the wall and hang (so you don't have to do any wiring) they can be bought at any home supply warehouse store for a mere $7-$15. These are "fluorescent light fixtures" that you can plug full spectrum bulbs into. The long fluorescent tube lights come in 2 sizes (T8 & T12). A best long-term investment would be to get the fixtures that take both T8 & T12 sizes and that have electronic ballasts- said to prevent flickering of the light.
Full spectrum lights are available in both sizes as well, these bulbs cost about $6. The "CRI 92" is the minimum strength that is truly beneficial. For $25 you can get a fixture to fit a T12. OR at Wal-mart (Gotta love em! ) you can get a fixture that fits EITHER bulb for $14. This is what we bought. However I don't have anything working yet because the bulbs are hard to find. Of all the hardware stores in two cities near me, Home Depot is the only place with bulbs with a CRI of 92, and no where I can find has a CRI any higher. And Home Depots bulb is Phillips that in the T8 has a CRI of 90 but the same bulb in a T12 has a CRI of 92, and ofcourse, they only had 1 left! So now I'm on the hunt for bulbs, I hope this helps some of you, I'll keep you posted!

Good bulbs are available here. The bulbs at this link are the Phillips TL950 with a CRI of 98. (This is the only place after searching high and low that would sell them individually.) It's hard to find them at all online and most places you have to order a case.

Then the next investment would be getting a timers (available in a drug, hardware, or superstore) for about $6 each. You simply plug the light into the timer and you can set it to come on and go off anytime you want. Just be sure to give your birds 10-12 hours of total darkness (more if they are laying).

http://www.squawkandhowl.com/info.html (way down near the bottom)

03-01-2007, 10:33 PM

Yep, thats the exact same fixture I have. Got it at Home Depot for $30 or so. If I remember right, without looking that is, I believe I got the same bulbs too!

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfulhage

Here is a picture of Ollie's light fixture. I've heard the exact thing can be ordered from Home Depot, either online, or by visiting the store- I can't remember which.

Here are the bulbs I use for it: F32T8/TL/950 PHILIPS
F32T8/950 (F32T8/TL950) PH 32W T8 48" 209056 PHILIPS 5000K LAMP 98 CRI

http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/eca...LIPS&x=28&y=29

03-01-2007, 10:42 PM

Quote:

The "CRI 92" is the minimum strength that is truly beneficial.

So the 93, which is what we have, is fine then, correct?

03-01-2007, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvins Mom

So the 93, which is what we have, is fine then, correct?

In your post above you said the Featherbrite is 91 CRI, not 93. You're confusing me!

I am by no means an expert Kathie, and I'm not arguing with you at all. I've just always heard the higher the better, no lower than 93- I've been wrong many many times, and this could be one of them! 98 is the best you can buy, and those bulbs are not that expensive. I just think if you're starting from scratch, that is the way to go.